Two common styles of printing devices are laser printers and inkjet printers. Laser printers typically xe2x80x9cprintxe2x80x9d by applying toner to media and then thermally bonding the applied toner to the media using a fuser, which generally takes the form of a heated roller. For such laser printers, toner may be colored toner, or black toner. Inkjet printers typically xe2x80x9cprintxe2x80x9d by heating liquid ink within a printhead. Such heating may cause ink to be expelled from orifices in the printhead and onto the media. The expelled liquid ink typically cures, or dries, on the media.
Various forms of media may be employed with such laser and inkjet printers. For example, both paper and transparent media are commonly used. Differing types of paper media typically may be employed interchangeably with either laser or inkjet printers. However, transparent media for use with laser printers may have material properties that are different from those of transparent media for use with inkjet printers. In this regard, types of transparent media adapted for use in laser printers typically have a higher melting point than transparent media adapted for use in inkjet printers. This higher melting point generally prevents the laser transparent media from melting when in contact with the fuser during printing.
As will be appreciated, melting of transparent media in a laser printer is undesirable as it may cause damage to the fuser, rendering the printer inoperable. Inkjet transparent media thus typically is unacceptable for use in laser printers. Furthermore, although laser transparent media may be employed with an inkjet printer with no adverse effects to the printer the Ink may not properly adhere to the laser media. Unfortunately, where differing types of media are available, the potential for confusion exists.
The present invention relates to an apparatus for use in detecting unacceptable input media. The apparatus includes a contacting element configured to engage input media during a feed operation such that the contacting element may selectively adhere to unacceptable input media and move with such unacceptable input media during the feed operation. The apparatus also includes a sensor configured to identify displacement of the contacting element, such displacement being indicative of unacceptable input media.